1 / 11

The Price of Power

Investigating the potential link between pylons and the increase in cancer rates. While there are various factors contributing to the rise in cancer diagnoses, the presence of overhead cables and pylons is a concerning trend. Explore the evidence and form your own opinion based on facts.

dterra
Download Presentation

The Price of Power

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Price of Power Is there a link between Pylons and cancer?

  2. A worrying trend In the UK, 1,538 children were diagnosed with cancer in 2002

  3. Can we explain this trend? • There has been a sharp increase in the amount of people being diagnosed with cancer since 1975. • Worryingly research carried out in 2002 showed that 1,538 of the population diagnosed with cancer were actually children. • This increase could be as a result of many factors. However, there are many scientists that believe this increase could partially be explained by the increase in the number of overhead cables and pylons around the country! • To assume that the increase in the amount of people being diagnosed with cancer is as a direct result of the increase in power cables and pylons being constructed would be naïve. • Your objective today is to look at all the evidence and form your own opinion. You should base your opinion on facts, and use these facts to emphasise your conclusion.

  4. Related Headlines NOTHING MORE THAN FEAR FACTOR: NO DEFINITE LINK BETWEEN PYLONS AND CANCER HOUSE PRICES TUMBLE THROUGH FEAR OF CANCER FROM LOCAL PYLON PARENT BLAMES OVERHEAD CABLES FOR HER CHILDS PREMATURE DEATH CANCER FROM LIVING NEAR POWER LINES RULED OUT PYLONS ‘DOUBLE CHILD CANCER RATE, PYLONS ‘TREBLE CANCER PARTICLES’

  5. Here comes the science! • Every current carrying conductor (an overhead power cable) generates a magnetic field. • It is suspected that this magnetic field is what is responsible for the increase in cancer rates • Click on the following videos to get a better understanding of the phenomenon!

  6. The Equipment

  7. The effect of a magnetic field • All magnetic compasses are aligned to the earths natural magnetic field • As a result of this the needle of the compass points North. • However when a stronger magnetic field is present the needle of the compass points to its north pole. See Movie 1

  8. The magnetic field around a current carrying wire • Originally all the compass needles are pointing to the north pole of the earths magnetic field. • When the power is turned on the current passing through the wire creates a magnetic field. • This affects the needles on the compasses. See Movie 2

  9. Science in the News • Read two very different views on the link between pylons and cancer. • This article puts forward the issue that pylons increase the risk of cancer. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/545086.stm • This article rejects claims that pylons increase the risk of developing cancer. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2977778.stm

  10. Activity • Your group must formulate an opinion based on facts that you resource. • There are a number of suggested web sites to follow as well as a wealth of other resources available on the net. • Remember what ever opinion you reach you have to have specific facts to validate your opinion.

  11. Plenary • Your teacher will ask you to present your findings in a variety of formats. • You will need to present your ideas to the rest of the class when you are finished. Remember not everyone will agree with you so you require facts to support your opinion.

More Related